


Rotten Memories

by Nocturnal_Hermit



Category: the GazettE
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Angst, Frankenstein's Monster AU, Loosely based off of Spookybox, M/M, Monster Reita, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scientist Aoi, Scientist Kai, Scientist Ruki, Scientist Uruha, Smut, side aoiha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-07-18 11:07:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16117145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturnal_Hermit/pseuds/Nocturnal_Hermit
Summary: Takanori is a scientist fascinated by death. His latest project of bringing a dead body back to life is a success. The once cold dead body is now a living, breathing creature, Reita. With help from Takanori, Reita will become a normal functioning human. However, vague memories of a previous life plague Reita's mind as well as a short temper. Despite this, warm blood pumps through Reita's veins and his heart beats faster when Takanori is around.





	1. Chapter 1

Veins of lightning illuminated the obsidian sky. The rain put a damp chill in the air. Light winds helped to carry the water droplets into forgotten crevices. Low rumbles of thunder battled the sound of the heavy rain. All creatures were silenced by the orchestra mother nature was performing.

A streak of lightning shot across the sky and made contact with a tall metal pole creating a crackling echo ringing through the night. The pole carried the newly obtained electricity down into a building. The current traveled from the pole along some wires until it made contact with its target. On a metallic table, a form twitched violently under a white sheet as the static danced through it. Two scientist stood awe struck in the corner of the room as they watched. Once the form laid still on the table, one of the scientists flipped a switch on one of the numerous machines decorating the wall. While he pulled the lever, the other ran to disconnect the wires from the mystery under the sheet.

“Did it work?” The blue haired scientist who flipped the switch inched closer and closer towards the table.

The other scientist did not respond. Instead, the brunette man circled around the table staring intently at the sheet. He pushed his glasses up his nose as he waited with baited breath. His mouth was dry and a thin layer of sweat clung uncomfortably to him.

Hope was dying. Seconds turned to minutes. Nothing changed. The form laid lifeless. Takanori ran a hand through his brunette hair in a moment of defeat. He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Just as he opened his eyes, he noticed slight movement. The middle of the figure began to raise and lower ever so slightly.

“IT’S ALIVE!” The shorter man cried out. “It’s alive, Kouyou!” 

A cackling laugh echoed off the laboratory's grey walls. Both scientists stared amazingly as the figure on the table began to show signs of life. Unlike Takanori, Kouyou did not laugh maniacally. Instead, he stood in silence and studied the scene in front of him with a toothy smile plastered on his face.

The brunette scientist quieted down and moved closer towards the table. He slowly pulled the white sheet revealing the form underneath. A man laid on the table. His body was riddled with scars. The scars looked like barbed-wire strangling the man’s smooth skin. Takanori pulled the sheet down to rest on the corpe’s stomach. The naked muscular top of the man was no longer concealed by the cloth. The discoloration of the corpse began to change. The sickly green tint slowly changed towards a healthy looking flesh color. The well-built chest slightly rose up and down as the man gradually regain himself. His ashy hair sat messily on top of his head. The locks were knotted and tangled. Half of the face was covered by a black leather mask. Only the left eye and the man’s mouth were uncovered. 

With each breath, the man’s organs began to refunction. Oxygen began to revive the scavenged organs. His decaying heart breathed new life as it pumped blood throughout the once dead cardiovascular system. 

The undead corpse slowly opened his eyelids to reveal pale yellow eyes. The outer iris was blood red. As quickly as his eye opened, it shut at the sudden blinding light of the fluorescent lights scattered across the ceiling. He opened his eye again as his pupil adjusted to the brightness. His eye darted violently back and forth taking in his surroundings. He scanned the walls which were lined with complex looking machines. Lights flashed and gears turned and low hums vibrated throughout the room. The man felt uneasy. A fuzzy memory floated around in his reviving brain. Blurry pictures of doctors came to mind followed by a feeling of helplessness mixed with anger.

Feeling began to seep it’s way back into his body. As the sensation came back, he felt a jab in his right arm. He turned his head to see a short man with brunette hair holding up a needle filled with fresh blood from the man’s arm. The sight of the doctor resurfaced the fuzzy memories. Although they were hard to recall, the emotions struck the man. Anger filled the undead. 

He sluggishly rose from the table. Both scientist stood in their spots and observed the man’s movements. Takanori remained beside the table as Kouyou cautiously stood farther away. Once in a sitting position, the man reached out his arm and circled his hand around Takanori’s neck. His hand squeezed tightly around the small brunette’s neck. 

The syringe fell from the scientist’s hand and crashed against the tile floor. A small puddle of blood stained the floor with little fragments of glass. Pale brown eyes widened behind Takanori’s glasses as he gazed into the angry eye of the man choking him. The undead bared his mouth to reveal clenched yellowish teeth. The brunette’s mouth mirrored the scowl with a wide smile. Tiny laughs escaped the small man between his gasps for air. The strong hand squeezed around the fragile neck. The corpse swung his legs over the table and stood up. The sheet fell to the ground revealing the muscular legs that held up the undead man. The man stood naked as he lifted the tiny scientist up by the neck. Muscles strained under the skin as his arm rose Takanori off of the ground.

The scientist began to be overtaken by lightheadedness. The crushing pain around his neck intensified with each passing second. He felt himself begin to drift away. Lights began to dim and sounds began to silence. Despite the creeping doom, a smile remained on Takanori’s blue face.

Suddenly, the crushing force around his throat stopped. A metallic sound echoed and Takanori hit the floor with a thud. Trying to regain conscious, he frantically looked around to try to comprehend what happened. He saw Kouyou standing nearby holding a metal tray in his hands and miscellaneous medical equipment laid around his feet. He breathed heavily as his brown eyes darted back and forth between Takanori and the creature that they resurrected.

 A few inches away from Takanori, the undead man laid on the ground clutching the back of his head. His eye was tightly shut and his mouth clenched shut trying to hold in a painful scream.

“Only….alive…..for a….f-few minutes and….already showing….emotions.” Takanori spoke between deep breaths of air. As he slowly regained himself, the brunette slowly stood up with help from Kouyou. The blue haired man was visibly shaken. He opened and closed his mouth a few times until he was finally able to vocalize his concern.

“Are you insane?! He could’ve killed you! We should not have done this.” His low voiced filled with concern. His eyes studied the creature on the floor as he stood protectively over Takanori.

“Why?” Takanori’s voice came out hoarse. “The experiment was a success. He lives.”

The undead man opened his uncovered eye and looked up at the two scientists staring down at him. His hands remained clutched to the back of his head. The pain was all but gone. He studied the men as he comprehended his situation.   


“Alive?” A low rumble exited the undead’s chapped lips. He removed his hands from his head and sat up. 

“Yes. Alive. You are alive.” Takanori walked past Kouyou who desperately tried to stop the shorter man. He showed little caution as he leaned down beside the man who had just choked him. 

The creature eyed the man suspiciously. The angry emotion was no longer present. Instead, confusion clouded his mind. He looked over the man in front of him. The white lab coat spread across the floor behind the man like a cape. Behind the man’s glasses, pale brown orbs scanned him up and down. The creature gazed at the man’s pale neck and noticed purple bruises forming. The brunette’s quaint smile managed to sooth the undead’s anxieties.

“What….am I?” The creature spoke in a low tone. His question was first answered by an airy chuckle from the tiny scientist.

“You are a living, breathing man.”

Confusion remained visible on the creature’s face.  _ Living _ . He was alive, but he didn’t know much else.

  
“Who am I?”

Takanori moved his hand up to his mouth and chewed on his thumb deep in thought. He was so caught up in the details of bringing a man back to life he neglected to think of something so simple as a name. Since the creature was a combination of many departed souls, he was a human being all his own and needed his own name.

“How about ‘Reita’ for now?” The smile returned to Takanori’s face.

The creature’s eye danced around the room. He looked from the brunette over towards the blue haired man standing a few feet away. His arms were crossed and his face portrayed the uncomfortableness he felt.

“Okay.” Reita sat still on the floor. He felt a chill run through his body. His arms hugged himself as he felt vulnerable in front of these two men. He was eyeing up some of the machines when he felt familiar sheet cover his bare body. His head turned to see the brunette moving the white cloth over Reita’s lower body. The man then looked at Reita from behind his glasses and held his hand out.

“My name’s Takanori.” Reita gazed at the man’s extended hand. He grabbed the scientist’s slim hand and shook it.

“Nice to see you still know basic greetings. I guess we’ll have to reteach you human decency.” Takanori chuckled as he pulled the sheet down to fully cover Reita’s exposed bottom half. Standing up, Takanori continued to talk.

“Reita, would you mind sitting back on the table so we can examine you and explain what is going on?”

Reita replied with a nod and grabbed the sheet with his hand as he stood up and returned to the table which he woke up on. As he sat down, the coldness of the metallic surface shot chills up through the naked man. He pulled the sheet closer to him as Takanori spoke.

“Now I will greatly appreciate your full cooperation. As I stated earlier my name is Takanori and my friend here is Kouyou.” At the mention of his name, Kouyou awkwardly waved his hand towards Reita. A smile spread across Reita’s lips as he found the shyness of the blue haired scientist comical.

“We’ve been studying life and death. We started discussing how a body decayed and whether or not it was possible to bring one back to life. We’ve experimented on smaller beings at first. Rats and mice showed promise after….a few failed attempts.” Reita watched and listened attentively as the brunette man rambled. “ But, that became boring very easily. After all, we couldn’t ask a mouse how it felt. So we started to research into the human body. The brain was the easy part. That was all thanks to Kouyou.” 

Once again, Takanori motioned towards the blue haired man. He silenced himself as a sign to let his companion talk.

“Yeah,” Kouyou spoke quietly and with less confidence than his fellow scientist. “We are able to reanimate dead brain cells. I experimented on pigs first. And thanks to the help of the facility, I was able to obtain the necessary equipment. Using a system of pumps and heaters and bags of donated blood, I was able to keep a brain in a state of living.” Sparkles began to glisten and shine in Kouyou’s eyes as he talked. His passion was evident.

“The only problem was there was no way to restore awareness to a brain in a jar.” Takanori continued to talk. Kouyou showed no sign of annoyance. Instead, he smiled contently as the brunette took charge of the little lecture.

“Thanks to Kouyou’s studies, we were on our way to bringing back a human being. The final part was the body. In order to understand the body, we had to look at it at a cellular level. Through some research, we discovered that when a body dies, the cell's outer membrane begin to weaken causing the cell to leak out its contents and inevitably die. However, it can take the cells quit some time until they die due to the fact that they can store the necessities they need in their membranes for a bit.” Takanori’s voiced oozed with excitement as he looked over towards Reita. To his surprise, the man was still paying attention. However, his eye was clouded over with confusion. No doubt he was lost in the rant. The brunette sighed loudly as he decided to dumb down the remainder of his lecture.

“In conclusion, I needed to find a fresh body. And lucky for me, the morgue had quit a selection. So I brought you back here, replaced a few organs inside, stitched you up, and placed a living brain inside your skull. We then sent electricity through your body in an attempt to make the neurons connect the brain to your nervous system.”

Reita sat on the table taking in all that the two scientists have said. He traced his hands over the scars across his chest as he was deep in thought. A haze polluted his mind. Foggy memories remained obscure. They confused the man.

“Why do I have faint memories? I don’t remember anything apart from waking up on this table.” Reita voiced his worries.

“What kind of memories?” A concerned look plastered itself on Takanori’s and Kouyou’s face.

“I can only make out a little bit. I can see a blurry man in a lab coat and then feel angry and helpless.”

Takanori looked towards the blue haired man beside him. Kouyou had his arms crossed and was intently studying his feet as he was lost in thought. Finally, he slowly and calmly spoke up.

“It is possible….that those memories….belong to the person who had the brain before you.” The tall scientist looked up from his feet and glanced over to the resurrected creature perched on the table. 

Takanori’s concerned face remained. His voice’s caring tone reflected the expression on his face. “Is this why you attacked me earlier?”

Reita nodded while averting his gaze. He was almost childlike in his demeanor. “I still don’t really understand anything.”

He looked up at the two scientists. Takanori leaned close towards Reita with a smile gracing his dark lips.

“Don’t worry. We don’t either. But we’ll figure it out together.”

Once the words left his mouth, the brunette felt another squeezing pressure. Instead of being around his neck this time, it was encompassing his whole body. His arms were pinned to the side of his body as he awkwardly stood stiff. The creature had reached from the table and embraced Takanori in a bear hug. A faint smell of rot and disinfectants wafted up from the man and made its way into the scientist’s nose. His face instantly scrunched in disgust. Luckily he was able to hide his face from both men in the room.

However, he couldn’t hide the redness creeping across his face and the warm feeling that followed. Kouyou took notice of it instantly and chuckled. 

Once Reita released the tiny scientist, he instantly turned around towards Kouyou and shot him a sinister look. He walked past the blue haired man towards a machine on the wall.

“Shut up, brain-boy! Clean up that blood on the floor.” Takanori’s voice was a low grumble. Kouyou continued to smile to himself as he did what he was commanded to do. 

Reita sat on the table with a smile on his face. Happy. He felt that as soon as the brown haired man showed him kindness. Even after choking him.

Takanori turned around from the machine to look at the creature once again. As soon as their eyes meet, one thought floated around in the scientist’s head.

_ How can a corpse be so warm? _


	2. Chapter 2

“Fifty beats per minute.”

“Not bad. You can unhook the monitor.” Takanori was recording the data on a clipboard he was holding while Kouyou was removing wires from Reita’s chest.

Reita laid on the table staring up at the ceiling. For the past two hours, Takanori and Kouyou had been performing numerous tests on him. Measuring this and that, taking so much of his blood. If they wanted the blood, why did they give it to him in the first place? 

“How are you feeling, Reita?” Takanori’s deep voice pulled the experiment out of his thoughts and he turned his masked face so that he could see the scientist with his uncovered eye.

“Fine.” Reita rested his head back on the table. The silence of the room was filled up by the usual hums and beeps from the machines and monitors. A few seconds after he answered, Reita’s stomach let a low growl. He quickly moved his hand over his gut in an attempt to silence it.

“Well, you know how to lie.” Takanori chuckled. “Let’s take a break for now. Do you mind running for us, Kouyou?”

“Sure.” The blue haired scientist casually shrugged his shoulders. “What do you want me to get?”

Both scientist turned their attentions towards the hungry man on the table. He got up to a sitting position. He held the white sheet close to himself like a protective blanket. The masked face revealed the man trying to collect his thoughts.

“I’m not sure.” Reita replied. His voice a little above a whisper.

“Hey, he’s indecisive just like you.” A low laugh passed through Kouyou’s plump lips.

His chuckle died quickly after a dirty look from Takanori silenced the blue haired man. Kouyou shuffled his feet a little awkwardly. His face did not show any remorse towards his teasing of the shorter man.

“Why don’t you just get us what you are getting?” Takanori reached his hand into his back pocket to pull out his wallet. He handed his companion some money. “That should be enough money. And on your way back pick up some clothes for Reita too.”

Accepting the money, Kouyou nodded towards the brunette then waved at Reita on his way out the double silver doors. Once Kouyou was gone, Takanori turned around to see a smile plastered on the creature’s face.

“What?”

“Kou….Kouyou is nice.” Reita spoke after struggling to remember the blue haired man’s name. A concentrated look displayed on his face as he tried to commit the name to memory.

“He is.” Takanori replied and looked at the door. 

Awkwardness overtook all of Takanori’s senses as a silence filled still air. The humming and beeping of the machines and monitors did little to fill the quietness of the room. They only worsened it. Takanori was used to silence. Him and Kouyou worked together and only talk to one another occasionally. Their attentions were always focused on their projects. But being alone with Reita in the room, Takanori felt like he needed to talk. He knew the creature had questions.

The brunette decided to not give into the silence and turned to face Reita. As soon as Takanori turned around, Reita averted his pale yellow eye. He looked down at Takanori’s shoes hoping the man didn’t catch him staring. His face gave away that he was deep in thought. The awkwardness attempted to crawl it’s way back into the situation, but the brunette fought it.

“The tests have been pretty good. Your body appears to be functioning well if not better.” Takanori’s voice came out a little louder than he anticipated. He just couldn’t help but dissolve the quietness quickly.

“So…..I’m healthy?” Reita returned his gaze up towards the scientist. The slight smile on the brunette’s lips made Reita feel calm. He was still trying to understand everything and he knew that this man would help him sincerely. Afterall, he was the one who is responsible for his current state. Reita’s eye scanned down from Takanori’s lips towards the man’s throat. Purple bruises littered the brunette’s neck. Remorse and guilt crawled their way up from the depths of the ashy haired man. He returned his gaze back down towards the floor as he hung his head.

“Yes. Your heartbeat is normal along with your blood pressure. And we haven’t detected anything unusual. You are as healthy as any other living being.”  Takanori stared at his clipboard as he talked looking over his collected data. He was pleased with his experiment so far. He could not believe that everything was running so smoothly.

“How did I die?”

“Pardon?” The scientist looked up from his clipboard. He was absorbed in his findings that he did not hear the question that Reita mumbled.

“How did I, or whoever the hell I was, die?” Anger seeped into Reita’s voice. Takanori was slightly taken aback by the sudden mood change.

“What brought this on?”

“I want to know.” Reita’s exposed yellow eye burned with determination and intimidation as it pierced Takanori. The blood red ring around the iris intensified the frightening gaze.

Takanori squirmed uncomfortable under the gaze. He looked at the undead’s body. His eyes danced along the scars the traveled all along the man’s form. His brown eyes moved along the scars spiraling around the muscular forearm and biceps. The scars wandered from the arms and circled around the neck before tracing along the naked chest and down towards the man’s private region that was covered by the white sheet. Peeking out from under the cloth, Reita’s sturdy legs revealed the remainder of the scars.

“You shouldn’t-”

“Tell me!” Takanori’s shakey statement was cut off by Reita’s shouting. The creature tightly gripped the end of the metalic table. His knuckles were white.

The shout echoed off of the grey walls and silenced the scientist. The brunette stood still with brown eyes widened behind his glasses. The sudden change in mood was a bit alarming. Last time Reita was angry, Takanori ended up with the bruises on his neck. He carefully caressed the markings on his neck as the last incident replayed itself in his head.

Seeing Takanori rubbing his neck, Reita instantly shrunk into himself. His grip on the table loosened as the regret flooded in. He felt his chest tightened as the scientist stared at him with an expression that displayed slight fear. Reita hung his head.

“Sorry.” He whispered as tears threatened their way out. 

Silence clung to the air once again. Over the beeping of the machines, footsteps grew louder as they stopped in front of Reita. The undead felt a soft hand place itself under his chin as his head was lifted up. His eye locked with Takanori’s. A smiling face looked down at him.

“Where did that anger come from?” The scientist’s voice reflected the confidence that shined from his face.

Reita blinked away the tears as he shrugged. He looked away from Takanori in an attempt to hide the embarrassment he felt from shouting at the man.

“I’m not sure.”

“Was it because of another foggy memory?”

Reita shook his head to say no. A heavy sigh left him. He couldn’t get his thoughts unscrambled to understand them.

“You’re confused. I don’t blame you.” The scientist’s hand remained under Reita’s chin. The creature could fill the warmth radiate from the palm and it helped to ease his nerves and his mind. He lifted his head out of Takanori’s hand and calmly looked up at the man’s face.

“Yes. I’m confused and I just want to know what happened. I’m worried that whatever illness happened to this body could happen to me.”

“You shouldn’t have to worry.” Takanori sighed as he cast his gaze towards the clipboard in his hand.

Reita continued to stare at the scientist hoping he would go on. Takanori noticed Reita’s stares and let out a sigh.

“The man before you was a victim of a serial stabber. He was stabbed repeatedly. The wounds were so severe that it caused massive blood loss and major organs were seriously damaged. The man was unable to recover from his wounds and died.” The scientist's voice was monotone, as if he was reciting a script. A smile appeared across his pouty lips and his tone brightened as he continued. 

“Lucky for us, the man’s body was donated to science and was a perfect candidate for our project. I was able to stitch up the major wounds and replace some of your internal organs and you were as good as new. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about the stabber coming after you. That man was apprehended and was sentenced to death by lethal injection.” 

The grin remained on Takanori’s voice as he made eye contact with a calmed down Reita. A peaceful smile plastered itself on the undead’s chapped lips. “Thanks. I think I’m feeling better now.”

A light chuckle escaped Takanori as he placed a hand on Reita’s shoulder.

“You find the brutal death of another man comforting?” The scientist joked.

Lifting the brunette’s hand off of his shoulder, Reita joined in with the laughter.

“Shut up.”

Takanori felt warmth cling to his cheeks as Reita’s strong hand wrapped around his wrist and lift it effortlessly off of his shoulder. Once again, he was amazed by the heat he felt radiating from the undead’s body. He hoped that Reita did not notice the blush appearing on his cheeks.

Lucky for him, both men’s attention were drawn towards the blue haired figure walking through the door. Both his hands were full. One hand was holding two brown paper bags. The other hand was holding green hospital gowns. Kouyou looked at the two near the table. 

“What took you so long? Your hair is a mess.” Takanori removed his hand from Reita’s grasp and pointed towards the disheveled blue locks on top Kouyou’s head. The fellow scientist walked over towards the metalic table and placed the contents in his hands down next to Reita. Kouyou’s cheeks reddened as his hands attempted to move the hair back in place.

“Um… I bumped into Yuu.” Kouyou’s voice was low and steady.

Takanori raised one eyebrow and folded his arms. The blushing from earlier was completely gone and replaced with a smug smile.

“And what did he have to say? Did he go on and on about how he morally objects to our research?”

Reita silently sat on the table as he paid attention to the scientists’ conversation. The introduction of another name peaked his interest.

“Yep.” Kouyou nodded.

“Doesn’t explain the messy hair.” The brunette walked towards his fellow scientist and lifted his hand up to the blue hair. He twirled a soft aqua lock between his fingers. The smug smile remained on Takanori’s lips.

Kouyou’s face showed signs of embarrassment. He hung his head slightly between his shoulders like a child being caught for doing something bad. His rosey cheeks illuminated the discomfort he felt. The air of the room remained light and friendly as Takanori let out an amused chuckle.

“I promise I won’t tell anybody about your  _ heated _ debate with your colleague.” Takanori let go of Kouyou’s hair and winked at the man. The blue haired scientist showed a look of relief as he turned his head towards the brunette. “By the way, you might want to wipe your mouth. Yuu left a little black lipstick behind.”

With Takanori’s last statement, Kouyou’s face constantly flushed with crimson. He frantically rubbed at his mouth with the sleeve of his lab coat. 

Reita resumed his sitting position on the metalic table and observed the situation in front of him. He laughed at the usual calm and collected Kouyou being embarrassed by his fraternization with a fellow scientist. Reita didn’t know much about the other man. But with what he picked up from Takanori, Yuu doesn’t seem to like the brunette. The undead couldn’t understand why, from the moment he woke up, Takanori has shown him nothing but kindness; even after trying to choke the shorter man to death. Reita’s mind was brought back to reality as the scientists dug through the brown paper bags.

“So what did you get us, Kou?”

Takanori received his reply as Kouyou pulled out various candy bars and small chip bags. A heavy sigh escaped the brunette as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. His annoyance was apparent as Kouyou quickly replied calmly.

“You told me to get you guys what I was having and I was going to just have a light snack.”

“Did you really just get junk out of a vending machine?” Takanori removed his hand from his face and pushed up his glasses. The irritation was still present in his face but his voice reflected his amusement towards the situation.

Kouyou nodded.

“The vending machine was close to where I had to get the clothes anyway.” The blue haired scientist shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He clearly did not see anything wrong with his choice of food.

“Well, at least you did bring something beneficial.” Takanori grabbed the clothes in his hands. Kouyou had retrieved a sickly green hospital gown and a pair of elastic waisted slacks. Takanori handed the bottoms towards Reita.

“Thank you.” Reita nodded his head as he accepted the clothes.

“Such manners.” Takanori laughed.

Reita slipped the pants over his legs and pulled them up under the sheet. As he stood up, the white fabric fell to the ground revealing a half naked Reita. Takanori set his clipboard down on the table as he lifted the gown so Reita could easily slip his arms into the sleeves. 

Both men shifted around until the brunette was standing behind the undead. He was tying the gown shut in the back. As he was tying the little strings together, Takanori eyes roamed up and down the scarred back. He noticed the tone muscles moving under the skin as Reita lifted his arms to tie the top string. Warmth radiated off of Reita like heat from a flame. The scars highlighted the muscles and Takanori couldn’t help his mind wandering towards thoughts of him adding to the scars on the back by scratching his nails up and down while feeling the heat from the man on a more intimate level.

Takanori’s mind instantly burned up at the sudden inappropriate thought. He was ashamed of himself for even thinking such things. Why did he have these thoughts? And why did he have these thoughts about Reita? The brunette quickly finished tying the robe and turned away from the creature and grabbed his clipboard from the table in attempt to drown out anymore impure thoughts.

“Thanks.” Reita turned around to see Takanori burying his face into the data he contained on the clipboard. The ashy haired man felt a twinge of sadness creep into his once-dead heart at the lack of attention from the scientist. 

While Reita was getting dressed, Kouyou was standing to the side stuffing his face with salty potato chips. Once the undead man was clothed, the blue haired scientist routed around the snacks laying on the table and handed the masked man a bag of chips.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“From now on, I’m going to bring food for you, Reita.” Takanori’s voice turned the creature’s attention on him again. A warm smile decorated the brunette’s face. “I want you to continue to remain healthy and can’t have you messing that up with a rotten diet.”

The caring tone caressed Reita’s ears and helped to ease the sadness he felt earlier. His once cold dead body was now overtaken with warmth; partly due to the clothes. But mainly due to the kindness that radiated off of Takanori.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooo our boys are having impure thoughts ^^ 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm working on the next chapter and hope to post it next week, as long as my work schedule agrees with me lol.


	3. Chapter 3

Rays of sunshine filtered into the room through the vertical blinds covering the window. Birds greeted the morning with chirps that echoed throughout the crisp autumn air. The leaves clung to the trees as they slowly deteriorated. 

The warm golden slivers of light landed on Reita and rustled him out of his deep sleep. Reita slowly opened his pale eyes. The early sun brightened and added its amber color to the bland grey and white room.

For the past week, Takanori and Kouyou continued their study of Reita. Everyday he was subjected to being hooked-up to numerous machines and monitors. They’ve taken multiple samples of his blood. Reita submitted entirely to the two scientists. He did as he was requested. His mornings were always spent with Kouyou, who monitored his brain waves and activity. He noticed how the blue haired scientist was always very professional. The man wasn’t much for small talk either. He focused on his research and vaguely answered Reita’s questions. Despite his demeanor, Reita liked Kouyou. There was a calm air surrounding him. He was easy-going.

After Kouyou’s tests, it was Takanori’s turn. Reita always looked forward to that. It’s not that he didn’t like Kouyou, it’s just that Takanori’s excitement was infectious. Unlike Kouyou, if Reita asked a question, the brunette scientist would answer him in detail. Although he might not follow the scientist completely, Reita liked to hear Takanori talk and see the enthusiasm radiate off of the man. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about his work.

When the creature opened his eyes at the first rays of sunlight that stained him, he was greeted by familiar surroundings. After Kouyou and Takanori were done with their tests, they let Reita retreat to a room that they had him staying in. It was a small space further in the facility away from the room he was resurrected in. The chamber was very minimal in it’s decor. The blank grey walls displayed no pictures. A single window was opposite the door. A single hospital bed occupied the center of the room. 

The undead shuffled in the bed and sat up. He blinked his eyes a few times to adjust to daylight. Once he finished, his eyes scanned the room and landed on two familiar figures standing at the end of the bed. The two scientists were studying a clipboard and leaning into each other and whispered inaudible sentences. As soon as Reita sat up, the two scientists ceased their whispers and studied the form on the bed.

“Morning.” A low, warm voice passed through Kouyou’s lips. The blue haired scientist had a small smile on his face and looked well-rested, unlike his companion.

“Did we wake you?” Takanori looked up from the clipboard and into Reita’s pale yellow eyes. A worried expression was planted on his face. His hair was a little tousled. A few brunette locks were out of place. His amber eyes showed the concern reflected in his voice. Reita could clearly see behind the scientist’s big glasses, bags were appearing under his eyes. The man was exhausted.

“No. You’re fine.” The worry eased out of Takanori’s face at Reita’s response. The creature was glad that he could lighten the scientist’s mood. But the weariness remained.

“Good.” A smile spread across the brunette’s lips. “So we are going to change your schedule this morning. I know you love Kouyou constantly scanning your brain and poking you or whatever he does, but we are going to give you a change of scenery,”

“I don’t poke him.”

Kouyou’s retort fell on deaf ears as Takanori continued.

“Instead of heading straight to our lab, we are going to take you on a little tour of the facility. We won’t be showing you the full place, that would take too long. And in my opinion, that would be boring.” 

Reita perked his head up. He was starting to feel a little antsy just bouncing between this room and the exam room. He was glad he was going to see more than the same bland grey walls. He was helpless to the smile spreading across his face.

“I’m glad that you approve. We’ll be outside and wait for you to get ready.” A pleased look was on Takanori’s face as he exited the room with Kouyou following behind.

Once they were out of the room, Reita swung his feet over the bed and instantly shuddered as his bare feet touched the cold tiled floor. The chill from the floor shot up through his body making goosebumps appear along his bare arms. The ashy haired creature hugged himself as he walked towards a little bathroom that was attached to the room right by the bed. Once he flicked the lightswitch, a tiny bulb on the ceiling illuminated the steril white bathroom. Reita scrunched his nose at the faint smell of bleach that emitted from the walls of the room. 

When he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of himself in the rectangular mirror hanging above a tiny sink. His eyes moved up and down his reflection as he traced the scars on his bare chest. He remembered Takanori telling him of the fate that befell the man who previously occupied this body. The thought unsettled him. The imagery of a knife penetrating the flesh flashed in his mind repeatedly. The vision caused Reita to feel warm and nauseated. He quickly turned on the faucet and splashed water on his face to calm himself down. The cool water splashed across the exposed half of his face and soothed him. He hung his head over the sink as droplets of water ran off of his face and returned to the basin. Hands firmly gripping the sides of the sink, he calmed himself down. He let out a heavy sigh. Anytime he thought about the stabbing, he felt a disconnect from his body. He felt like a stranger occupying something that wasn’t his.

Once the unwelcomed thoughts retreated to the corners of his mind, Reita lifted his head to look at himself once again in the mirror. His eyes ignored the scars on his chest and focused on the mask covering half of his face. He grew accustomed to it. But after the intrusive stabbing musing, Reita felt hatred seep up from his once lifeless bones. Between the disconnection from the body and the mask hiding half his face, he felt like a monster. His grip on the sink tightened. The tiny bathroom became warm and suffocating. The water splashed onto his face ran off and was replaced by droplets of sweat. He let go of the sink and hurried out of the bathroom. He swung the door open and stood in the center of the cool grey room. 

The constricted bathroom was to his back as his gaze fell on the only window in the room. The morning sun was still peering into the small room through the vertical blinds. The lines of light engulfed the whole room and an infuriating memory snuck into Reita’s mind. Looking at the window, the blinds reminded Reita of steel bars imprisoning him. Frustration and helplessness accompanied this memory. The creature’s hand formed into a fist.

* * *

 

Once they exited the room, Takanori leaned against the wall beside the door. Kouyou walked and rested beside him. They were the only two occupants of the deserted hallway. Fluorescent lights basked the hallway in an erie luminescence.

“You’re tired.”

“Nice observation.” Takanori sighed. He closed his eyes as the exhaustion weighed down on him.

“Everything has been good so far. I haven’t had anything concerning show up on any of my scans.”

The brunette appreciated Kouyou’s attempt at easing his worries, but it did little to calm his mind. He chewed his lip as he was thinking.

“Should we be concerned about the faint memories he experiences?”

Takanori turned his head so that his tired eyes could rest on Kouyou. The blue haired scientist returned the gaze and mulled over the question.

“I don’t believe that we should worry. Once he makes new memories, they should push out those old ones.”

“Are you sure?” The brunette asked instantly as soon as Kouyou was done talking.

“No.”

Kouyou’s honest answer hung in the air between the two men deepening the silence. The fluorescent lights filled the silence with a low hum. Takanori turned his head away from Kouyou and another sigh escaped out of the tired scientist. 

“I know you’re worried, but you should try to get some decent sleep.”

“I know.”

A comforting hand landed on Takanori’s shoulder. He turned his head once again and saw a caring look displayed on Kouyou’s face. The brunette was grateful that Kouyou agreed to do the experiments with him. He never once protested the ethics of bringing a corpse back to life. Instead, he embraced the idea with open arms. While everyone else in the facility shunned his research, Kouyou shared Takanori’s fascination. Both scientists wanted to further the understanding of the human body and life itself. 

Neither of them knew too much about each other before working together. All Takanori knew about Kouyou was that he was a brilliant neuroscientist who had successfully resurrected a brain in the past. When the blue haired man approached him and asked to be apart of his research, he was ecstatic to have such an accomplished scientist join him.

Kouyou never regretted his decision. Before the project, the man never heard much of Takanori. He only heard the brunette’s name a few times and that was thanks to Yuu. His fellow scientist seemed to have taken a dislike towards Takanori. Kouyou didn’t pay much attention towards the name until he started to hear bits of gossip about his project. Up until then, Kouyou only worked exclusively with Yuu and their relationship developed more than was professionally allowed. But once he caught wind of Takanori’s research, he knew he had to get involved. Even if Yuu spoke negatively of the man, Kouyou no longer felt stimulated and needed a change. 

Once Yuu found out about the blue haired man’s involvement with Takanori, he shut Kouyou out. The two now get into fierce debates anytime they see each other. Despite the disputes getting heated, the two often ended the discussion in a fit of passion in a hidden corner or room. Yuu can’t stand Kouyou’s decision, but he also can’t stand being without Kouyou. The feeling was mutual, but Kouyou stuck by his commitment to Takanori.

Even though his collaboration with Takanori put a strain on his relationship with Yuu, Kouyou would do it again. The blue haired scientist has been a good friend to Takanori and vice versa.

The two scientist stood in the vacant hallway in comfortable silence. Kouyou removed his hand from Takanori’s shoulder and crossed his arms.

“I don’t think you have to worry about Reita turning out like the others.”

“I hope so.” Takanori rubbed the back of his neck. When he turned his head, Kouyou was able to see that the purple bruises that stained his neck were beginning to turn to a sickly green and soon vanish.

Both men jumped at the sudden sound of shattering glass coming from the room behind them. The sound echoed throughout the vacant corridor. A sick feeling seeped into Takanori’s stomach as him and Kouyou rushed into Reita’s room. Kouyou quickly opened the door and him and Takanori stared at the scene in front of them.

A spider web of cracks covered the entire window. Small pieces of glass sprinkled out of the window pane, past the blinds, and glittered on the floor around a hunched over Reita. The only part of Reita that was visible to the scientists was his bare back. Most of him was obstructed by the bed in the center.

Kouyou stood as his brain speed up to comprehend what happened as Takanori rushed past him. 

“Reita!”

Getting closer, the brunette could see that Reita was on his knees rocking back and forth. He was hugging his arm. Small droplets of blood sparkled on the floor next to tiny shards of broken glass. The creature on the floor did not acknowledge the two scientists. Takanori slowly crouched down beside Reita and lifted his slender hand to rest on the crouched man’s shoulder. As soon as he put his hand on him, he was able to feel the man shake as if scared. Within a few seconds the shaking stopped as well as the rocking. Reita lifted his head to look at the owner of the stray hand. When he looked up, Takanori could see a trail of tears running down Reita’s face from his revealed eye. The man’s mouth was open and showed his clenched teeth holding back any shouts of pain. The brunette was then able to see that Reita was cradling his right fist that was bleeding from various cuts along his knuckles. The stray droplets of blood trickled from the hand and painted the floor with a bright red hue.

A comforting smile spread across Takanori’s lips as he looked down at Reita. An unreadable expression sat on Reita’s face as he stared at the brunette. Suddenly, the undead’s pale eye narrowed into a tiny slit and his brow dipped. His mouth opened to reveal his clenched teeth once again. Only this time it wasn’t from pain, but anger.

Reita put all his weight into his shoulder and pushed into the tiny scientist crouching next to him. The shoulder hit Takanori in his chest with such force that his breath temporarily escaped him. The force of the shoulder pushed him over and left him lying on his back staring up at the creature hovering above him. Takanori instantly held his hand up to stop Kouyou who was about to rush to the brunette’s aid. The blue haired man halted in his tracks and gazed helplessly at the two.

Takanori remained fixed in his spot on the ground as Reita crouched over him. The undead’s left hand rested beside the brunette’s head. His knees locked on each side of Takanori’s hips pinning the scientist down with his lower body. His bloody right hand grappled Takanori’s shirt and vest and slightly lifted the tiny man. 

A low growl passed through Reita’s clenched teeth. Every muscle in his body was tense. Anger was raging through him. He felt like a monster and the tiny scientist was to blame. He didn’t ask for this. The rage clouded Reita’s mind and tears started to form. Through the angry tears, he looked down at the scientist. The brunette looked up at him showing no signs of fear. The apathetic expression from Takanori only heightened Reita’s furious state. Another growl escaped the undead.

Letting go of Takanori’s shirt, Reita moved his bloodied hand up towards the tiny man’s throat. He stopped when he saw the bruises that still littered the fragile neck. His anger quickly dissipated. Kind thoughts of Takanori overcrowded his mind. The scientist never spoke harshly towards him, even when Reita got angry. He always helped Reita with any concerns or questions he had. And after Kouyou brought them junk food, Takanori has been making all of Reita’s meals for him. The bruised reminders gracing the brunette’s neck twisted Reita’s mood. 

As he looked through his watery eyes down at Takanori, he could see the tired scientist smiling up at him. Crushing helplessness crept its way up from his depths. The steel bars he saw earlier returned and Reita felt them constrict around his body in the forms of scars. The tears began to flow from his eye again as his muscles relaxed. Takanori managed to slide out from under the creature. He tucked his legs underneath him and sat in front of a crying Reita. The comforting smile remained on his face. Overcome with vulnerability, Reita leaned into Takanori. The scientist wrapped his arms around the crying man. He soothingly moved his hand up and down the bare back in calming motions while his other hand rested on the back of the undead’s head. In return, Reita wrapped his arms around the tiny scientist and his hands rested on Takanori’s back as they grabbed fistfuls of his lab coat. Reita relaxed his head on the brunette’s shoulder and cried into the man’s neck. He choked out ugly sobs as his tears extinguished the flame of anger he felt earlier.

“Kouyou, can you clean up his hand?” With Takanori’s words, the blue haired observer finally moved into action. He went into the bathroom and returned with a roll of toilet paper and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Takanori slowly rocked back and forth as he cradled the crying Reita in his arms. The lukewarm tears stained his bruised neck and heated up his whole body. He couldn’t help but enjoy the warm embrace he shared with the vulnerable creature. 

While Takanori soothed the crying undead, Kouyou carefully cleaned the blood from Reita’s hand with the supplies he gathered. The alcohol slightly stung, but Reita paid no mind to the pain. He felt numb and empty. All he could feel was the warmth that surrounded him from Takanori. 

The sun perched higher in the sky and continued to shine brightly into the tiny room. The broken window distorted the golden rays as it painted the three men on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter sooner than anticipated. I may or may not be updating weekly, depends on how quickly I can type. But I'm gonna try for an update each week. :P :D
> 
> Thank you guys for reading this is a lot of fun to type <3 <3


	4. Chapter 4

The warm early morning made way for a chilly afternoon. The cold air greeted the three men as soon as they stepped foot outside the research building. A gravel path lead them to a tranquil sitting area. Tall trees lined the perimeter along with an iron fence. Leaves sprinkled off the trees and scattered along the gravel ground. The tiny grey rocks mixed with red and yellow foliage. The afternoon sun perched in the center of the sky and cascaded it’s amber rays in between the almost bare trees. After Reita’s earlier aggressive outburst, Takanori and Kouyou decided it was best to postpone the tour of the facility. Instead, they figured some time outside would help ease the undead man. 

Once Reita finished crying in Takanori’s arms, the brunette directed him onto his bed where Kouyou took care of the creature’s hand. He bandaged it and made sure no tiny pieces of glass wedged themselves into his wounds. Thankfully the cuts weren’t deep and didn’t require stitches.

Reita was thankful for Kouyou and especially Takanori. While the blue haired scientist cleaned up his hand, Reita avoided eye contact with the brunette. He continued to avert his gaze even when Kouyou was done bandaging and they were on their way out of the facility. Awkwardness seeped from the back of his mind. He felt too embarrassed to even look at the brunette. The man held him while he felt vulnerable. The undead was grateful for the scientist. He helped him regain himself. But there was a creeping feeling in his heart that made it hurt and anytime he looked at Takanori it resurfaced. 

Luckily on the way out, Reita could eye up the new surroundings. His eyes scanned the walls of the hallways. There was nothing distinct about them and he was curious to see where they were going. 

When Kouyou was bandaging the undead’s hand, his mind was racing and replaying the previous scene in his head. While he was occupied with his thoughts, Takanori and Kouyou quietly discussed amongst themselves. Their voices were hushed and Reita was only able to make out a few words. From what he gathered, he knew that he was not going to be showed the rest of the facility thanks to his aggressive outburst. 

Soon, the three men were on their way through empty hallways. With every twist and turn, Reita was more and more lost. He knew the facility was big, but he had no idea. Awkwardness continued to lurk in Reita’s being. The ashy haired man tried to occupy his mind with trying to memorize the way they were going. It was difficult due to the fact that all the corridors looked exactly the same. Reita became amazed that Kouyou and Takanori could flawlessly navigate themselves to where they wanted to go.

Once they were out the doors, the tranquil area calmed the creature down. He instantly squinted his eyes at the new sight of natural light. The pale blue sky was a welcomed change from the dreary grey and sickly green walls. The sound of the breeze cascading through the scarce foliage on the trees danced in Reita’s ears. There were no beeps or hums of miscellaneous machines or monitors, just the delightful sounds of nature.

Reita felt a soft hand land on his forearm and direct him further into the secluded refuge. He followed and turned his gaze to see the tiny brunette scientist in front of him. Takanori’s back was to Reita as they walked. Kouyou followed alongside the two. The three of them sat on a little wooden bench that rested along the facility’s outer wall. Reita turned his gaze towards his left side where Takanori sat. Their eyes met. The creature felt a warm presence makes it way along his cheeks. Lucky for him, the mask covering his face hid the blush.

When Takanori sat down, his mind instantly filled with concern for Reita. He noticed the masked man avoiding his eyes all morning. The brunette didn’t blame him. He figured that the creature felt awkward and a little ashamed of himself after his outburst. Once they were side by side, Takanori took the opportunity to quickly check him. When he turned his head, he was surprised to meet a single yellow eye looking directly at him. Takanori nearly melted.

The staring was interrupted by the blue haired scientist sitting on the other side of Reita.

“This is nice. Hard to believe this used to be an old smoking area.” Kouyou’s soft voice filled the still silence.

Takanori and Reita broke their gaze and looked over at Kouyou casually swaying back and forth on the bench. A small smile graced itself on his plump lips. There was no doubt that he was relaxed by the calming surroundings. Takanori looked and noticed that the area was having the same effect on Reita. The creature did not seem as tense.

“Smoking area?” Reita spoke for the first time since the morning. His voice came out in a quiet dry sound.

“Uh huh. This used to be a smoking area. But the higher-ups inside decided that the smoking area should be moved farther away from the labs. Apparently it is bad for the facility’s image if their scientist’s are seen smoking. So they moved the smoking to an area ridiculously far away,” Takanori answered.

Reita looked from Kouyou back over to Takanori. The creature smirked as the brunette talked. He should’ve know that he would have answered his question. He always does.

“I’m going to get a drink. You guys want one too?” The blue haired scientist asked. He looked over at the two. His calm demeanor was radiating and very infectious.

“Sure.” 

Kouyou jumped off the bench once Takanori spoke. The blue haired scientist held his hand out towards the brunette.

“What?”

“I need money.”

“Seriously?”

Reita sat on the bench and chuckled at the two bickering scientists. The way they interacted was comical and could not be mistaken for anything other than friendship.

Takanori reluctantly reached into his pocket and handed Kouyou some money for the drinks he was going to buy. Once he received the currency, the blue haired man was inside the building leaving the remaining two sitting together on the bench.

* * *

Kouyou took a second to readjust his eyes after coming in from outside. The natural sunlight contrasted greatly to the fluorescent lights bathing the hallways. Once his vision was sufficient, he made his way through the winding corridors until he reached his destination. He stood in front of two vending machines which rested beside a restroom. A stray person walked by paying no attention to the blue haired man. Unlike where him and Takanori have been, this area of the facility appeared to get more foot traffic.

Kouyou studied the options of beverages. He took out the money Takanori handed him and inserted into the machine. One after another, he gathered the three bottles and turned to make his way back to the other two men. He got a few steps in before his attention was stolen.

“Kouyou?”

The blue haired scientist looked behind him at the direction of the voice. A fellow scientist stood staring at him. He had black hair sitting neatly on top of his head. His eyes were highlighted by  the smoky blackness around them. The darkness of his eyes and hair contrasted to the paleness of his skin and the white lab coat he donned. The man straightened his tie once Kouyou looked at him. His pale lips displayed a slight smile.

“Hello, Yuu.” Kouyou tried his best not show any emotion in his voice or expression. Inside, his heartbeat intensified at the sight of the gorgeous man who he still held feelings for.

“Haven’t seen you for a while.” Yuu walked closer towards Kouyou who stood still. Confidence emitted from Yuu as he sauntered towards the only other occupant in the hallway. Fortunately for them, the traffic of the hallway seemed nonexistent now. His eyes captivated the blue haired scientist. Kouyou tried to focus his attention on anything other than the piercing pale orbs. Even thought he was a few inches taller, Yuu’s gaze could always make Kouyou feel smaller.

“I’ve been busy.” Kouyou’s voice was flat. He tried to remain calm and hide the fact that his heart was about to burst from his chest.

Unsatisfied with the blue haired scientists answer, Yuu stopped his stroll and crossed his arms.

“Still playing with lifeless corpses?” 

“No.” A twinge of anger made its way into Kouyou’s voice to battle the venom in Yuu’s. He didn’t care how much he felt for the raven haired scientist, he would not let the man belittle his and Takanori’s work.

“I still don’t understand why you left me to go work with that lunatic.” 

Kouyou didn’t need to look at Yuu to know that his face displayed sadness. It could be heard in his voice. Kouyou hung his head feeling bad for causing the gloom that the stunning man felt. He only wanted his star to feel bliss.

“I don’t think you ever will.”

Yuu sighed, “I wish you would come back”.

Kouyou finally allowed himself to turn his gaze onto Yuu. The confidence from earlier had completely vanished. Yuu’s eyes no longer transfixed Kouyou. The pale brown eyes were downcast. His plush lips mirrored his eyes and frowned. His arms remained crossed but his fingers clenched tightly at the loose white sleeves on his arms. The raven haired scientist’s appearance confirmed his melancholic mood.

“I can’t.” Kouyou’s voice barely came out above a whisper. Yuu’s eyes glazed over at his companions response. Tears threatened to make their way down his pale cheeks. 

Kouyou walked closer towards the sorrowful man. Once he closed the distance between them he whispered an apology.

“Sorry.”

Kouyou rested one hand under Yuu’s chin as he pulled his head up into a soft loving kiss. Yuu wrapped his hands around Kouyou’s hips and pulled him closer. He tightened his grip on the blue haired man; frightened that he would leave him again. The two scientist’s continued to stand in their embrace. 

Kouyou removed his hand from Yuu’s chin and rested it on the raven’s chest. He dropped the drinks he was holding as he brought his other hand up alongside as he passionately moved his lips along Yuu’s jawline. The plush lips continued to ghost from the jawline to Yuu’s unmarked neck. The raven let out a moan of surprise as he felt the sensation of teeth gliding across his skin. The pressure increased as Kouyou nibbled at Yuu’s neck and bit down. Yuu sighed as he felt the pleasurably plump lips suck at the mark Kouyou left. 

The taller scientist pulled away to admire his work. He moved his head so that he faced Yuu once again. As soon as Kouyou looked into his companion’s eyes, he was pulled into another loving kiss. A moan vibrated off of Kouyou’s lips and he parted them to invite Yuu inside. The raven’s tongue eagerly entered and entertwined with Kouyou’s. The two men groaned into the kiss as they moved closer towards each other and bumped hips. Kouyou felt the warmth radiate from Yuu as he felt the erect member under the man’s trousers. Another moan escaped Yuu as the taller scientist moved closer putting pressure on Yuu’s bulge.

Kouyou pried himself from the lustful kiss and looked at the raven once again. Yuu’s pale face was colored by rosey cheeks that sat underneath hooded eyes. The tears from before were no longer present in the raven’s eyes. And the pale orbs no longer made Kouyou feel small. Instead they made him shiver in delight.

“I missed you.” Yuu’s voice was low and full of want.

A suggestive smile spread across Kouyou’s moist lips. His hands moved from Yuu’s chest and slide down the man’s arms until they embraced his hands and removed them from the taller’s hips. Kouyou slowly backed up holding Yuu’s hands and guiding him to follow and step around the soda bottles that were dropped on the floor earlier. 

The two men walked into the tiny bathroom beside the vending machines. Kouyou continued to lead with Yuu following closely behind. Once inside the bathroom, Kouyou pushed Yuu inside one of the three stalls. 

Occupying the one farthest from the door, Kouyou had Yuu up against the side of the stall. The blue haired man continued where they left off. Once they were safely inside, Kouyou put his hands on Yuu’s shoulders pinning him in place. He kissed the raven and continued to massage his tongue just like earlier. Yuu gripped tightly at the coat on Kouyou’s slender back. 

The hands on his back pushed Kouyou closer towards the person of his desires. Their hips joined once again and Yuu’s bulge made contact with Kouyou’s. The taller man moaned into the raven’s mouth. Yuu replied to Kouyou’s moan by grinding his hips back against the taller man. Another moan escaped Kouyou as he removed his tongue from the warmth of the raven’s mouth and pressed his hips into the grinding.

Pleased with the response from the slim man, Yuu caressed his hands down the slender back and made their way to Kouyou’s bottom. Kouyou’s head rested on Yuu’s shoulders and he left gasps of delight tickle the raven’s ear as the raven’s hands massaged the blue haired man’s buttocks.

Both men continued to roll their hips together back and forth, increasing the pleasure with each movement. While they thrusted, Kouyou nibbled on Yuu’s ear as he in returned covered Kouyou’s necks in sloppy kisses. With each nip of his ear, Yuu’s grip on Kouyou tightened and continued to pull the man closer. The sounds of moans and gasps echoed and increased with each movement.

Overcome with desire and hunger, Kouyou removed his head from Yuu’s shoulder licking at his ear one last time. His hands slid down from the raven’s shoulders and pushed against his powerful chest. Once he freed himself of the close embrace and added some space between them, Kouyou slinked down to the floor to where his face rested in front of Yuu’s groin.

“God, I’ve missed you.”

Looking up, Kouyou was greeted by the pale eyes looking down at him. The piercing eyes shot shivers through him and made him feel confident enough to continue. A sly smile painted Kouyou’s lips as he brought his hands up. One grabbed the raven’s thigh as the other traced the erect member hidden inside Yuu’s trousers.

Hearing his lover whimper encouraged him to go further. Kouyou brought his hand up to undo the button and zipper. Slowly dragging the zipper down, the blue haired scientist leaned in and planted a soft kiss on the thin fabric of underwear that remained covering his lover’s groin. The light touch sent a shockwave of pleasure and anticipation through Yuu. The raven intertwined his fingers with the soft blue locks that rested on top of his Kouyou’s head. His other hand gripped the tank of the porcelain throne that occupied the stall with them.

Going further, Kouyou freed Yuu’s member from the restraining fabric. His hand wrapped around the erection to steady it as he began his sinful actions. Kouyou ran his tongue along Yuu’s length. A moan echoed throughout the bathroom and the grip in his hair tightened as Kouyou continued. 

He circled his tongue around before parting his lips and letting the tip of the raven’s shaft enter his accepting mouth. Kouyou’s warmth enveloped and invited Yuu. The pleasure increased as Kouyou licked and sucked at Yuu. A shiver shot up through the raven as he felt the sensation of a tooth lightly graze the tip of his member. A loud groan exited Yuu’s mouth. Kouyou new how to make Yuu weak.

“Fuck. I’ve missed you, Kou.”

The raven looked down at his lover. Kouyou looked up under hooded eyes and had removed Yuu’s erection from his mouth to flash a coy smile up at his companion. Kouyou turned his attention and was focused on his lover’s groin once again. He continued to lick and suck at Yuu increasing his movements each time. The moans that escaped from Yuu was blissful music to Kouyou. Soon, Kouyou removed his hand from Yuu’s thigh to attend to his own growing arousal. He freed his member and began to pump his shaft as he continued to please his lover. The moans that vibrated inside of Kouyou’s mouth tickled and thrilled Yuu.

“I’m not going to last much longer, Kou.” A breathy voice left Yuu’s mouth. He was trying to hold himself together.

His lover’s voice blissfully danced in his head. Kouyou quickened his pace on himself. Both men’s breaths quicken as they each got closer to their release.

One last moan escaped out of Yuu as Kouyou licked at the tip of the raven’s shaft before lightly grazing it with his teeth. As soon as the teeth touched the flesh, a loud groan echoed throughout the bathroom as Yuu’s grip tightened in Kouyou’s hair and came; emptying himself onto Kouyou’s face. The blue haired man licked his lips as he milked the remaining fluid out of his lover. 

Soon after, a breathy sigh brushed against Yuu’s soft member as Kouyou reached his peak spilling onto the floor of the bathroom. The lover’s heavy breaths replace the moans and groans from earlier. The raven let go of the blue locks of hair and affectionalty stroke the top of his lover’s head. His other hand that gripped the tank of the toilet relaxed and limply fell hitting the plunger on the toilet causing the two men to jump as the silence was broken by the flushing toilet.

Yuu jumped and fell to the floor beside Kouyou who still rested on his knees. The wide-eyed raven looked over at his lover, whose face mirrored the surprise that painted Yuu’s face. 

Both men looked at each other and busted out laughing. A genuine smile lit up Kouyou’s soiled face. Yuu grabbed a piece of toilet paper and wiped away the mess he left on the taller’s face.

“I love you.” Yuu leaned in and planted a tender kiss on Kouyou’s plush lips. The blue haired man smiled into the kiss.

Once they cleaned up inside the stall, the two men stood side by side at the sinks. Yuu looked at himself in the mirror fixing his hair as Kouyou washed his hands. The two men put themselves back together in silence. The lights hummed as they illuminated the lavatory. Yuu was the first to break the silence by clearing his throat before speaking in a lighthearted tone.

“You know I’ve missed you. If you worked with me again we could have more fun than that.” Yuu’s joke was instantly shot down by Kouyou’s sudden response.

“Don’t.” Kouyou looked Yuu directly in the eyes and spoke in a dead voice. “Don’t. Please don’t mention anything. We had a fun time. I love you. Let’s leave it at that.”

Yuu opened and closed his mouth a few times, but nothing came out.

“I need to go.” With that being said, Kouyou exited the bathroom leaving Yuu standing by himself. A sigh left his lips as the raven closed his eyes to clear his mind and stop the tears.

* * *

 

A light breeze tickled Reita’s cheeks. The faint smell of tobacco and nicotine danced along with the breeze as it passed by. Reita turned his head to see that the shorter brunette scientist was breaking the ‘no smoking’ rule. Sitting beside him, Takanori had a lit cigarette perched between his fingers. The creature sat and watched as Takanori brought the cigarette up to his full lips and took a long drag.The two sat in peaceful silence for a little while. Reita enjoyed the calming atmosphere of his new surroundings and Takanori enjoyed his cigarette. The brunette looked like he was deep in thought. Bags hung under his eyes as they stared off into space. The serious look painted on his face made him look unapproachable. Reita couldn’t help but think that Takanori was pondering about his morning outburst. He did not want to make this man worry. 

“I’m sorry.” Reita’s small voice was barely audible.

It took a few moments until Takanori replied. Reita thought he didn’t hear him, but the brunette turned his head and looked at Reita with caring eyes and responded in a tender tone. 

“What was that?”

Looking down at his hands, Reita tried to avoid Takanori’s gaze.

“I’m sorry about this morning.”

“It’s okay. All I care is that you’re alright.” A warm hand landed on the creature’s knee. He felt the warmth shoot up through him and was glad that his mask covered his blushing cheeks. The brunette’s face reflected his caring nature. The serious appearance he wore minutes earlier was put to the side as he focused on Reita. This made the creature feel the blush spread towards his ears.

“I am. Thank you.”

A blissful breeze blew between the two.

“Was it a memory again?” Takanori knew but he just had to have his suspicions confirmed.

Nodding his head Reita spoke, “Yeah, I had a memory of prison bars. And it made me feel angry and helpless.”

Takanori’s eyebrows scrunched together and his face turned back towards serious contemplation. Having heard this, he had some questions for Kouyou. 

“You are very easy to talk to. I feel comfortable around you.”

A ray of red painted across the brunette’s face. He quickly removed his hand from the creature’s knee and took a drag from his cigarette to try to distract himself from the warm feeling that hit him. One inhale of the cigarette helped to steady his nerves before he replied.

“I’m glad.”

Takanori looked out of the corner of his eye to see Reita staring at him. A friendly smile appeared on his lips. The brunette turned his head to return the smile with one of his own.

“Me too,” whispered Reita.

He wasn’t sure or not, but Takanori thought he he could spy a little bit of pink tinted skin under the man’s mask. He didn’t have enough time to determine if he did, because the door to the facility opened and a familiar face came waltzing out.

“Hey, Kouyou.”

“Took you long enough.”

The blue haired scientist flashed a smile at the two as they greeted him. In his arms he carried three bottles.

“Sorry. Had to think what to get you guys.” Even though he had a smile on his face, his voice did not reflect the happiness he was displaying.

Having worked with him for quite some time, Takanori was able to easily pick up on his tone. Instead of calling him out about it, the brunette decided it was best to occupy the the taller man’s mind with something else.

“Whenever we are done here, I need to discuss some research with you.”

“We could do it now.” Kouyou’s fake smile dissolved into a blank expression.

“I figured we should  _ all  _ sit and relax. Take a break.” 

With the ending of Takanori’s statement, a smile returned to Kouyou’s face. He nodded his head as a silent ‘thank you’ to the brunette before speaking. This time his voice reflected the happiness that his face displayed.

“Okay. Well, here’s your drinks.” Kouyou handed out two of the bottles he was holding. He handed a cola to Takanori and a bottle of water to Reita.

“Thank you.” Reita replied while he grabbed the bottle and took a drink. 

“Thanks.” Takanori put out his cigarette and grabbed his beverage and opened it. With the first turn of the cap, the soad began to squirt out at different directions as the contents inside rushed up towards the top of the bottle. The brunette instantly jumped off of the bench and held the bottle away from him as he quickly closed turned the lid shut to prevent any more liquid to squirt out. Unfortunately for him, the soda managed to stain a bit of his white lab coat and the sticky cola was running down his hands. The shorter scientist looked up at Kouyou with playfully angry eyes behind his glasses.

“Oops. I forgot I dropped them.” Kouyou spoke in a flat voice before a heartfelt laugh danced in the air. Reita joined in with the laugh as he looked at the pouty brunette stand in disbelief. 

A smile spread across Takanori’s face as the other two’s laughter reached his ears. It was nice to see everyone with smiles on their faces, especially after the day they've had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoooo boy! Almost a whole month since I've last posted! Sorry about that! Life happens. I probably won't be able to post as frequent as I like with Christmas sneaking up on us, but I will try my damnedest. :P
> 
> Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was my first real attempt at writing smut and I absolutely loved that I got to write some Aoiha! Don't worry, the Reituki will blossom soon ;)
> 
> As always, I appreciate every hit, kudos, and comment! You darlings are all angels that help keep me going <3 <3 <3


	5. Chapter 5

Faint sounds of light scratching sprung Takanori out of his restless sleep. The moonlight sprinkling in from the stray window casted the room in an indigo tint. The weak light gave an illuminated outline to the room. The brunette looked around his vacant, lonely bedroom to be greeted by the eternal darkness that surrounded him. The only sound was a breath that Takanori let out not realizing he was holding. The erratic pattern of his breathing seemed to echo off of the sad walls. Gripping the bed sheets, the brunette steadied his breathing before laying back down. Looking, over towards the tiny dog bed he saw that his chihuahua, Koron, was still soundly asleep. With the dog not on high alert, the brunette reasoned that what he heard was nothing.

When he laid back down, his heart was beating in his ears. The furious pounding began to slow down to a rhythmic beat and he was able to relax once again. He turned on his side to get comfortable. Once he felt the warmth of the blankets cradling him, he heard the faint scratching sound again.

“It’s nothing.”

Takanori was unsure whether he spoke out loud, but he knew he thought it. He was barely getting any sleep as it is, he was not going to waste his time investigating a sound that was more than likely the wind rattling leaves outside. 

Turning to lay on his other side, the sound could be heard again. Only this time, it seemed to be louder.

“Just the wind.”

This time Takanori did speak these words out loud and in a tired murmur. A low growl made the scientist shoot up in his bed. At the bottom of his mattress Koron stood and let out intimidating growls at the direction of the door.

Blinking his eyes a few times, Takanori noticed that the coloring of the room had changed. The moon no longer shined indigo. Instead the room was now bathed in a dark crimson. Beads of sweat began to form at the brunette’s temples. He focused his attention on the bedroom door.

“Who’s there?”

Takanori’s shaky voice received no answer. Silence filled the room. Koron had stopped his growling and the scientist looked down to see that the little dog was no longer at the bottom of the bed. The furry animal must have returned to his dog bed. However, Takanori was not calmed down enough to return to his slumber.

Outside, a lone cloud passed in front of the moon hiding the light from the isolated room. Takanori watched as the crimson light was slowly consumed by blackness. Visibility was reduced to zero. Nothing in the room could be seen. A few seconds passed as the crimson ray returned. Gradually, the room was revealed again. The bedroom door was the last to have the light shine on it. However, now the door stood open revealing a black empty hallway.

Takanori’s heart stopped along with his breathing. 

“What the-”

The brunette blinked his eyes and when he opened them again a black silhouette stood in the door frame. The dark figure stood motionless as Takanori froze. His heart began to beat at an increased rate. Beads of sweat began to pour off of him. A scream was stuck in his throat.

He couldn’t move as the crimson light was blown out bathing the room in darkness once again. Within seconds, the indigo light returned revealing the room as it was the first time Takanori woke up. Empty. Even the door was closed.

Frantically looking around the room, the brunette did not notice any signs of an intruder. Looking at the bottom of his bed, he saw that Koron had returned and was curled up in a ball snoozing away. A surreal stillness clung in the air.

An imaginary icy hand crawled up and cradled Takanori in a freezing embrace. He hugged himself and rocked back and forth in an attempt to warm up and piece together the last shreds of his sanity.

“What the hell is going on?” The brunette’s whisper came out in a puff of white air that danced and dissipated in the frigid temperature. His teeth chattered as he continued his fruitless efforts to get warm.

The scientist’s rocking stopped when labored breathing echoed in the air. Takanori instantly froze as he felt a chill crawl up his spine once again. He remained in place as he saw a lone pale hand grab the end of his bed. His eyes danced all along the bottom of his bed that was occupied by Koron. The chihuahua was now nowhere in sight. The slender fingers slithered their way up the bed as they absently grabbed at the bed sheet. 

Takanori stared in shock as another hand appeared. Only instead of a hand, it was a metal claw. The claw dug into the mattress as the other hand continued to frantically grab at the sheets. The sound of ripping fabric was muted as the labored breathing got louder and louder. Slowly, the  pale hand and claw revealed arms covered with black sparkly sleeves. A stranger steadily came into view and sat at the end of the shredded bed. The peculiar figure was all in black. Messy dark hair framed the stranger's head. Despite the disarrayed locks, their attire was well kept. A shiny black jacket sat on top of a stark white blouse. The figure could’ve passed as a normal human if it wasn’t for the claw hand and a bizarre mask covering half of their face. Tubes hung off of the black mask and magnified the soul’s labored wheezing. It was obvious by their state that they were struggling to remain upright. Above the mask, gorgeous pale blue eyes blinked lazily as they pierced the frightened brunette. 

A scream stuck in the scientist’s throat. Takanori was too frozen to run. His body remained still as his eyes darted around to take in his surroundings. The weightless creature lazily crawled up the bed. The scientist slowly backed up as the stranger moved closer. He found himself laying on his back as the creature hovered over him. The metallic claw rested one sharp point on Takanori’s throat. The indigo light flashed to a crimson glow as the creature coughed out a messy wheeze.

In a barely audible voice, Takanori croaked.

“Aoi.”

Takanori’s mind went blank for a second before he opened his eye and shot up in bed. A thin layer of sweat coated him as he frantically looked around. The morning sun poured in through the window and birds playfully chirped outside in the crisp autumn air. 

Along the carpeted floor, Koron lifted his head and looked at his disoriented owner. A yawn escaped the unconcerned chihuahua before he laid his head back down in his bed.

There was nothing out of the ordinary. No strange lighting. No rapid change of temperature. And no strange creature.

“Another fucking nightmare.” A defeated sigh escaped the weary scientist.

Takanori wiped the little bit of sleep out of his eyes as he got up and got ready for the long day ahead of him.

* * *

The familiar sounds of beeps and hums filled the silence between Kouyou and Reita as the creature sat in silence in the small exam room as the blue haired man looked over a bunch of papers. It’s been nearly a week since his outburst, and since then, after his tests he always returned to the tranquil sitting area to relax. Kouyou always joined him. And Takanori occasionally joined. According to the tall slender scientist, Takanori had a lot to do. 

After the incident with the window, Reita saw less and less of the brunette. Even though the man wasn’t present, he always filled Reita’s thoughts. It’s not that he didn’t like Kouyou, but the creature had a strange, delightful feeling anytime Takanori was around.

Kouyou looked up from his papers to notice Reita sitting in his chair staring off into space. After he cracked the window a week ago, he hasn’t been talkative. Kouyou chalked that up to the fact that Takanori hasn’t been around as much. It was painfully obvious to him that Reita carried a hidden admiration or affection towards his creator.   

“What do you say we take a break?” Kouyou’s soft voice broke the silent air causing Reita to slightly jump out of his daydream.

Reita flashed the blue haired scientist a smile in response. Within minutes, the two were out of the room and embracing the chilly autumn air in the forgotten smoking area. Kouyou and Reita resumed their earlier activity of sitting in silence. As the silence progressed, both men got lost in their thoughts.

Reita’s mind trailed off towards thoughts of Takanori. He knew the brunette was busy and he felt guilt that he was the cause of it. The day of his outburst, Takanori was going to show him around the facility. He would’ve no longer been confined to the same few rooms like a prisoner. But the sudden flash of a forgotten memory soiled that for him. Reita cursed himself for being so overcome with emotion. Not only did it put his reward of freedom on hold, but it caused Takanori more work and made his presence scarce. He knew that the short scientist had to smooth over things with whoever was in charge and the fact that Reita barley saw the brunette only confirmed his suspicion that it was a lot of work. And whenever he saw slight glimpses of the scientist, there were always noticeable bags under the poor man’s eyes.

Kouyou sat beside Reita and stared over at the ashy haired creature. A sudden sense of pride struck him as he admired the product of his and Takanori’s teamwork. But the satisfaction dissipated when he saw the lonely expression plastered on the undead’s face. Despite the fact that he was sitting next to him, Kouyou knew that Reita wished he was another scientist. A brunette one. Observing Reita and Takanori together, he knew there was something more between them. They might not know it yet, but it was blossoming. Kouyou noticed how Reita smiled more whenever Takanori was around. And whether the brunette knew it or not, Kouyou was able to tell that he blushed more whenever the ashy haired creature was around. Just standing back and observing the two made a smile spread across Kouyou’s lips. Kouyou decided to break the silence.

“Why the long face?”

Once again, Reita jumped at the sound of the tall scientist’s voice. He blinked a few times trying hard to remember what Kouyou just spoke. Turning towards Kouyou, he replied.

“Huh?”

A light chuckle passed through Kouyou’s grin.

“I said ‘why the long face?’”

“Oh. Um…. I don’t know. Isn’t this how I always look?”

“No. At least not when Takanori is around.”

With the mention of the brunette, Reita quickly turned his face away from Kouyou. A little bit of pink skin peeked out from under the black mask covering his face. Kouyou smiled to himself. The reaction confirmed his earlier suspicions.

“It doesn’t take a neurologist to see that you are much happier and at ease when Taka is around.” 

“Nice joke.” Reita smiled and turned back towards Kouyou who had a smug smirk on his smug face. Kouyou didn’t verbally respond. Instead, he just kept staring at the ashy haired man with his cheshire cat smile. He raised his eyebrows as an indicator for Reita to continue the conversation. A sigh passed through the creature’s lips before continuing.

“Fine. I do really like Takanori’s company. And I feel bad that I cause him a lot of stress. Is that what you want to hear?” Reita crossed his arms and sat like a pouty child.

“I suppose.” Kouyou chuckled at the childlike man. “But don’t, for a second, think that Takanori isn’t enjoying having you around.”

A quizzical look replaced Reita’s pout.

“But, because of me, he has extra work.”

“And he enjoys every second of it. Before he created you, he was bored. He is someone who needs something to do. He can’t sit still. Taka must always be working. And then you came along and helped his boredom. You are near and dear to his heart.” 

Kouyou spoke with admiration. It was obvious that he was excited for his friend. The blue haired man’s emotions oozed into his words and filled Reita with happiness. The creature never considered that Takanori enjoyed the extra workload he had to do. A smile graced the pale lips of the ashy haired man.

Before any of them continued the conversation, their attentions were drawn to the sudden opening of the door.

* * *

 

“I’m not sure.”

Takanori sat in a luxurious office. The white walls were plastered with numerous degrees and awards. In the center of the room sat a rich dark mahogany desk. Takanori sat in a comfortable plush chair and stared at a fellow scientist. Behind the man, the wall was lined with bookcases filled with books and articles, no doubt, written by said man. He was an accomplished scientist and the head of the research facility.

“I understand your concern, Mr. Yutaka. But, I do believe having him be able to explore outside the confines of exam rooms, he would be able to become less irritated.”

The man behind the desk looked up from the papers along the mahogany surface. He brought up a hand to move some stray dark locks of hair out of his face. His darkened lips remained in a straight line as his black eyes scanned Takanori. The brunette sat still trying his hardest to hide any nervousness he felt. 

After a few seconds, a dimpled smile cracked across Mr. Yutaka’s face. The smile was a heartwarming one, but the man who donned it did not reflect the same nature.

“So you do agree that he has an anger issue?”

“I did not say that, sir. I do agree that his mood fluctuates. But that is due to old memories. If he is able to go out and create new memories, I believe this will push out the old ones.” Takanori’s voice was confident. The same could not be said of him. Inside, he was extremely nervous. 

For days he had been preparing for this meeting. All his time spent in front of miscellaneous councils, led up to this. Anytime Reita had an outburst, Takanori was always able to convince a council of his peers that he would be able to keep the little tantrums under control. Sure, he would stay up well into the night to work on his arguments and gather all his data to fully convince them, but it was always worth it. He wanted Reita to fully flourish into becoming a involved member of society. Takanori would be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying this. The atmosphere at the facility had grown dull and boring. Nothing struck the brunette scientists fascination. The whole project involving Reita had been a stimulating delight. It did prove difficult at times, but Takanori hated backing down from a challenge.

“What about the other one?”  Mr. Yukata posed a question that made Takanori pause. He should’ve anticipated that question popping up.

“Pardon?” Takanori heard him clearly, but he wanted the man to elaborate.

The smile remained on Mr. Yukata’s glass face. It did little to sooth the brunettes frazzled nerves.

“What about your other experiment? Is he another failure to throw onto your pile?”

For some reason, the last question stung. The brunette never considered any of his projects failures. Sure, they were unsuccessful. But with each one, new information presented itself. If it weren’t for those experiments, he wouldn’t have Reita successfully walking around. 

“I have not forgotten about him, sir. I’m sorry, but I was under the understanding that this meeting would be about Reita.”

The air around the head scientist shifted. The dominant aura changed into one of a nurturing mother. Mr. Yutaka clasped his hands together as he rested his elbows on the desk. His shoulders visibly relaxed and his face finally reflected the warmth that his enchanting grin did.

“It is. But it’s also about you. I’ve let you continue your experiments because I believed that they and you have great potential. And you performed exceptionally well. Reita is living proof of your hard work and dedication. I’m just concerned is all.”

The last statement had a sting of sweetness to it.

“I’ve been looking into files about you and listening to some idle chit-chat that goes on. I know that not everyone in this facility finds your research desirable. And I’ve seen the papers and documentation from your other meetings. You can stand up to them pretty well. You sincerely deserve my praise.”

Takanori’s eyes widened at the kind words spoken by his fellow scientist. The honeyed words gave him the confidence he needed to press on and get his desired outcome.

“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it. Truely, I do. But, I’m hoping we can steer this discussion back towards Reita.” The brunette steadied himself. He was growing weary and wished to speed this conversation along.

A light chuckle passed through Mr. Yukata’s parted smile. 

“Ah yes. Sorry for the divergence. It’s so rare for me to get a chance to talk to such unique individuals.” The dark haired scientist paused to look down and shuffle through the papers decorating his desk.  He stopped shuffling and his dark eyes scanned over a single piece of paper.

“Now it looks like this ‘Reita’ has had a few incidents. You say that is from previous memories?” The sunny smile from before had instantly vanished and replaced by a furrow between the man’s brow. 

“Yes. The brain still has some lingering memories from before. We believe if we stimulate the brain with new surroundings it will push out these memories and thus reduce and eliminate any further incidents.” 

Mr. Yutaka grinned slightly when he heard the excitement in Takanori’s voice.

“If I did give you the clearance to take him away from the facility, he would stay with you I presume.”

“Yes.”

“Then what?” Mr. Yukata’s dark eyes pierced through Takanori and slowly chipped at the confidence he felt earlier.

“Well….. I plan to have him go on some controlled outings with me present to observe and intervene should the need arise. And then-”

“So you think he would still cause problems.”

Takanori internally cursed to himself. Mr. Yukata dissected everything, even speech. The brunette’s mind worked quickly to form a retort.

“Depends on the situation I suppose. Ideally, I would like to avoid anything that would stimulate any memories from the past.”

“Do you know what to avoid?”

“Yes.” Takanori spoke instantly. He was growing irritable with the conversation.

“Which are?”

“Anything to deal with his former life. The brain’s at least. Prisons seem to be a big factor in the old memories.”

“Well, that should be easy as long as ‘Reita’ doesn’t commit any crimes.” A light-hearted chuckle returned the sunny smile back onto the dark haired man’s face.

Takanori put on a smile to entertain his fellow scientist. He obviously didn’t find the idea of Reita being arrested as funny as Mr. Yukata. Hopefully, he could wrap up this conversation soon.

“So what do you hope to achieve with these outings?” The dimpled smile remained on Mr. Yukata’s face as he proceeded to dive into the matter at hand.

Pushing his glasses back up his nose, Takanori continued to outline his plan.

“Well, I hope to integrate Reita into normal human society. After a few outings accompanied by myself. I will have him go alone. I’ve already proven that the dead can be brought back to life. I’m interested to see how far I can go.”

“You are bold! I like that!” Another chuckle filled the air as Mr. Yukata leaned back into his chair, “I’m interested to see the fruits of your labor. I will give you clearance to continue this experiment outside of a laboratory.”

Takanori felt his chest swell with pride and accomplishment. 

“Thank you so much, sir. I promise you it will be a success. You won’t regret it.” A smile graced the brunette’s lips. Only this time it was not a facade, it was genuine happiness.

“I’ll get all the paperwork done on my end. I should have it all completed tomorrow. The only thing I ask is to meet the experiment before he leaves the facility.”

“Of course.” Takanori was ready to do anything if it meant furthering his experiment. 

As he answered, Mr. Yukata was once again shuffling through the papers on his desk. He held one sheet in his hand as he continued the conversation.

“I would like you, him,” Mr. Yukata looked at the paper, “and Kouyou here tomorrow evening.  I just want to ask Reita and Kouyou a few questions. If the meeting goes favorable, I will fulfill your request.”

“Thank you, sir.” Takanori bowed his head as he stood up from the chair. Mr. Yukata smiled as the brunette headed towards the door.

“Oh, Takanori!”

“Yes?” The brunette spun around at the mention of his name. The dark haired scientist remained seated at his desk as he looked at Takanori with motherly concern.

“Please try to get some rest. You’re looking a little run down.”

“I will.” Takanori appreciated the sympathy that the head of the facility showed.

With that, Takanori was out of the luxurious office and walking past Mr. Yukata’s receptionist out into the hallway. The realization did not set in yet. He passed a couple of scientists on his journey. Most of them paying little attention towards him. Some shot looks that could pass as disgust. None of that bothered Takanori. Not after dealing with Mr. Yukata.

Finally, his project was beginning to become stimulating again. A new challenge has appeared. Getting Reita ready for tomorrow’s meeting. This will be the first time the undead will interact with someone who isn’t him or Kouyou. Takanori’s mind began to wander. Should he maybe find someone else to practice interactions with Reita? Then again, who would? It’s not like his project is seen very favorably.

A chill ran up the brunette’s spine as he suddenly recalled his recent nightmare. Takanori stopped dead in his tracks as he looked around at his surroundings. As his mind traversed his thoughts, his legs carried him to familiar corridors. Not too far down one of the hallways was Reita’s current lodging. At the other end of the halls were the exam rooms that him and Reita had become quite acquainted with. Walking away from those rooms, Takanori traveled further down a darkened hallway. He stopped in front of a solid closed door. Before Reita, he frequented the room quite often. The brunette placed an ear towards the door and listened as faint beeps were barely audible above the sound of wheezing air being inhaled and exhaled. Mr. Yukata’s words rang through Takanori’s mind.

_ What about the other one? Is he another failure to throw onto your pile? _

Takanori sighed as he spoke to himself.

“Not yet.”

The brunette turned around and walked away from the once frequented room. Pushing aside Mr. Yukata’s questions, Takanori filled his mind with thoughts of Reita.  _ How would he behave? Will there be anything that would trigger his anger? What kind of questions would Mr. Yukata ask?  _

All these questions bounced around his head as he continued to make his way through the maze of the facility. His mind stopped as he came to the door leading to the old smoking area. Without realizing it, a smile graced his lips as the thought of his successful meeting with the head of the facility finally hit him. A euphoric wave of accomplishment washed over the tiny scientist.

Opening the door and stepping outside, Takanori’s smile instantly vanished as he saw an angry looking Kouyou facing the entrance. Beside him stood Reita with an unreadable expression and in between the brunette and his friends was a familiar raven haired scientist. Even though the sun shined brightly down on the group, a deep chill hung in the air. The sound of the opening door drew everybody’s attention towards the brunette. The raven turned around and pierced Takanori with his pale eyes.

“Yuu?” Takanori’s surprised voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the wind rustling through the foliage. As the gust blew through the greenery, it pushed the dead leaves decorating the ground across the cement walkway producing faint clicks and scratches. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have risen from the dead to deliver a new chapter! haha see what I did there? ;)  
> Anyhow, I apologize for the wait. Pretty much the end of November and the entire month of December is incredibly exhausting for me (I work retail and I get put in charge of new people. Stressful to say the least.) But I had trouble finding the time or inspiration to continue writing. But now that I have some time to myself, I can hop back into the story. I'll shut up now lol :P
> 
> Thank you all for the kudos, comments, and hits. They mean sooooo much to me <3 <3 <3


	6. Chapter 6

“You are near and dear to his heart.” 

Kouyou’s words tightened Reita’s chest as a blush threatened to take over his entire face. Opening his mouth to speak, the ashy haired man was silenced by the opening of the door. Both men turned their attention towards the entrance expecting to see the man they’ve been talking about. Instead, they were surprised with another scientist.

“Yuu?”

The raven haired scientist confidently walked along the cement path. An amber ray of sunlight shone through the dying foliage and cascaded along Yuu’s pale face. The golden ray’s filled the scientist’s eyes with sparkles.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were alone.” The confidence Yuu held constantly, devolved to a sheepish aura as his eyes took notice of the ashy haired man sitting beside his lover. As his eyes moved from the blue haired beauty, he scanned the stranger. He was wearing sickly green patient robes. He took notice of the scars that twisted around the man’s exposed arms. Yuu’s eyes met the single pale yellow eye that looked up from the hidden face. His mind began to race with an idea of who the stranger was. Before the raven could voice his curiosities, Kouyou spoke firmly.

“What do you want?” He noticed the change in Yuu’s expression and hoped to distract the man and have him leave before causing any ruckus with Reita. Kouyou was overjoyed to see the raven and his chest tightened at the sight of gorgeous man. But, his main priority was to protect Reita. He had no idea how the undead would react towards Yuu. Afterall, the first time he saw Takanori he choked the poor man. He didn’t want anything similar to happen now.

Yuu shifted his gaze from the stranger towards the blue haired man.

“I was hoping to have a private conversation with you, but I can see that that is not possible.”

“Perhaps later.”

Ignoring Kouyou’s short irritable reply, Yuu returned his gaze back towards the man in the patient clothes.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Yuu Shiroyama. Who are you?”

Kouyou balled his fist on his lap. He should’ve known that Yuu would address Reita. Looking over at the undead, Kouyou flashed a reassuring smile. He hoped that having a calm aura around himself would rub off onto his friend. Inside he was mentally preparing for a disastrous outcome.

“I’m….Reita.” The creature flashed a weak smile towards the stranger.

“What are you doing here?”

“Don’t you have some work you should be doing?” Kouyou’s voice was steady and stern. 

“I’m taking a break,” Yuu crossed his arms in silent defiance towards his blue haired lover. After his piercing eyes finished drilling into Kouyou, the raven turned his attention back to the strange looking man. “Please forgive me if I am coming off rude, I just have a curious nature. Some find it charming.”

After Yuu winked at Kouyou, Reita responded with a stronger smile. The raven seemed quite charming to him, but he didn’t want to let his guard down. Reita wasn’t sure or not, but he knew Kouyou seemed a little tense. So, he figured that there was something else going on. Bouncing the newly learned name in his head, Reita was trying to remember why it sounded familiar as the new man continued to fill the silence.

“So how’d you two meet?” 

“We meet through Takanori.” 

Kouyou’s facade was finally starting to crack and irritation started to peek through. His reply came out in a harsh tone that caused Yuu to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

With the mention of the brunette scientist, Reita finally remembered that he first heard the raven’s name during his first day of being reanimated. He recalled the comical time Kouyou went out for snacks while he sat alone in an exam room with Takanori. Reita looked at Yuu and could see in his pale piercing eyes that he carried a hidden love for the blue haired man beside him. He could only imagine what the two felt for each other. Then again, maybe it was similar to the warm feeling he felt when Takanori is around.

Feeling bad for having come between the two scientists, Reita stood up and decided to leave to two alone.

“Excuse me.” 

“Where are you going?” 

As Reita started to walk towards the door, Yuu stood defiantly in his way. His arms remained cross and his eyes freezing the undead in place like a stone statue.

“We weren’t finished talking.” There was no smile on his lips as Yuu spoke.

Standing up, Kouyou placed himself protectively in front of Reita and glared daggers towards the raven.

“What if we are?”

Just then, the door behind Yuu opened revealing yet another newcomer into the garden. In the doorway stood a puzzled looking brunette with black rimmed glasses hiding his dark eyes as he scanned the situation in front of him.

“Yuu?” Takanori spoke as he took in the image in front of him.

Facing the brunette, a smile sat upon Yuu’s face. Even though he held a deep hatred towards the man, he spoke in a civilised manner. Takanori took notice and decided to humor the raven; attempting his best at small talk. All the while, Kouyou and Reita stood as a captive audience.

“Hey, Takanori. How have you been?”

“Oh just swell. How about you? Any fun new projects you’ve been working on?”

“Just a little this and that? Yourself?” A coy smile sat upon Yuu’s lips.

“Nothing noteworthy.”

“What about that?” Pointing a finger towards Reita, Yuu’s friendly demeanor dissolved and quiet anger brewed inside him.

“Hi Reita.” Takanori had a carefree smile planted on his face as he greeted the undead. 

“So you do know him?” Yuu’s anger and annoyance began to seep into his face.

“Yes, sir.”

“Stop acting like an idiot.”

“I have to. Look at who I’m talking too.” 

With Takanori’s last statement, Yuu’s aggravation had finally reached its boiling point. The raven stepped forward and towered over the tiny, smug scientist. He lifted one hand out and grabbed onto Takanori’s shirt collar pulling upwards.

Before tempers between the two could rise, Yuu felt a firm hand grip his shoulder and pull him away from Takanori. The force at which he was pulled away caused the dark haired scientist to stumble with his footing and land on the stoned pathway. Looking up, Yuu saw Reita standing beside the brunette with heat radiating from his eyes. Takanori stood beside the towering man. The brunette’s hand fidgeted with his collar. Behind the collar, the barely visible bruises were a reminder of what Reita was capable of.

"What the hell?!” Yuu’s voice echoed throughout the area. His eyes pierced Reita causing the man to stir on his feet. He shifted back and forth trying to avoid the heated gaze.

The raven was lifting himself up off the sidewalk with an intense anger steaming inside him. Takanori and Reita stood motionless. Neither of them knew what the man was about to do, but they waited as Yuu rose up.

Before the situation escalated anymore, the blue haired onlooker stepped in. Rushing to the raven’s side, Kouyou grabbed Yuu’s hand.

“Follow me,” where the only words that left the slender man’s mouth as he pulled the raven behind him into the building leaving Reita and Takanori standing alone outside.

Reita hung his head as a warm feeling stung the back of his neck. He felt shame from his actions. He lost his temper once again. The chill from the air could not pierce through the heat of his guilt encasing him.

“Sorry.” A low mumble passed through the undead’s lips. 

Warm tears began to form at the corner of his sullen eyes. His mind replayed his outburst on repeat. When he saw Yuu grab Takanori, a fear crept up from deep inside him and he wanted to protect the brunette. Takanori was working so hard for Reita’s sake that he feel likes he owes him. Within the split second that the situation unfolded, Reita’s mind figured stopping Yuu would help to repay all the kindness that the brunette has shown him. But, he misjudged his strength and sent the poor raven flying towards the ground. He didn’t know what Kouyou was going to do, but he was eternally grateful that the slender man stepped in. He hoped that he could calm Yuu’s temper. It was stupid of him to think that he could diffuse the situation. He wasn’t smart like Takanori.

Just before the tears could spill, a comforting hand rested on his forearm. Reita turned his head and looked down at a the brunette scientist beside him. A sweet smile greeted the creature as Takanori spoke.

“You don’t have to apologize. He had it coming.”

Closing his eyes, Takanori’s light-hearted laugh echoed and danced in the wind. Once he opened his eyes, the brunette saw that his words did little to soothe the big brute.

“Listen. Don’t worry. Kouyou will calm Yuu down. He doesn’t like me so he never listens to me, but Kouyou gets his attention.”

The corner of Reita’s mouth twitched and a slight smirk was visible. Takanori was glad to see that Reita was starting to lighten up.

“How are you? Are you doing okay?” Takanori’s tone changed as he rubbed his hand up and down Reita’s forearm. The joking attitude made way for the brunette’s sympathy and tenderness.

“I’m fine. I’m just really sorry for what I did,” Reita sighed. His voice was low. “I did such a stupid thing. And I’m stupid. I’m sorry.”

Takanori’s hand stopped moving on Reita’s forearm. 

“Why would you think that?”

Reita couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows at Takanori’s question. The brunette tilted his to the side as he looked at the creature with confusion. With his free hand, he push his glasses up to sit on the top of his nose before he continued.

“You are far from stupid! You are a spectacle! That fact that you are standing here conversing with me is miraculous! A stupid person would’ve gone mad from the existential crisis that you live with on a day by day basis. It takes a truly smart individual to questions themselves and everything around them!” 

A smile beamed from the brunette and infected the creature. A grin spread from ear to ear as he gazed at the scientist.

“Plus, I’m really grateful you intervened. I was running out of snippy remarks to hurl at Yuu and I’m sure he would’ve won. So, thank you for protecting me.” The confidence the brunette displayed faltered a bit at the slight vulnerability that he let show. The shy tone in his voice pierced through Reita’s chest and squeezed the creature’s heart.  

Pink tinted his cheeks and a chuckle passed through Takanori’s lips before he found himself being embraced. Reita wrapped his sturdy arms around the tiny scientist and held him close.

“You’re welcomed.”

Reita’s low voice pleasantly vibrated in the brunette’s ear. Takanori returned the hug letting his hands rest on the undead man’s solid back. He felt the warmth radiate from Reita and shelter him from the chilly autumn breeze. The security he felt in Reita’s arms was a welcoming feeling. Takanori turned his head so that his face rested in the crook of the creature’s neck in an attempt to hide the advancing blush on his face. 

* * *

 

The door slammed and echoed throughout the vacant hallway. Yuu was still fuming but he didn’t speak. Instead, he let Kouyou drag him along. The blue haired man in front of him did not face him at all. The slender scientist marched onward with energy and purpose.

After a few minutes of silence, Kouyou suddenly stopped. Yuu followed suite trying his best not to bump into his fellow scientist. The hand that was holding onto the raven’s let go and fell limply at Kouyou’s side. The two of them stood in the empty hallway. The blue haired man did not turn around.

Yuu stood there staring at his lover’s back. He was glad to be alone with Kouyou, but he had no intentions of showering the man with affection. Instead, he wanted to talk.

“What are you doing?”

“Shut up.” Kouyou’s reply was low and barely audible. Yet, he still did not turn around to face the raven.

“Why are you doing this? Can’t you see that this is morally and ethically wrong? Reita should not be living!”

“Would you shut up?!” Kouyou rose his voice as he turned around to face the cawing raven. Tears stung the corner of his eyes. His cold eyes were hiding a raging fire behind them. A lone tear stained a streak down the slender scientist’s cheek. Yuu was taken aback by the sudden change. Kouyou always portrayed himself as cool and collected; never quick to anger. It was one of the reasons he fell for him. But the man in front of him was different.

“Isn’t it our jobs as scientists to question? We are burdened with the task of finding answers to questions that everybody is too afraid to tackle. We have to get our hands dirty for the cowards and live with the consequences.”

Kouyou’s voice was a booming echo off of the empty walls as his hands frantically flew around him, gesturing as he talked. Anger was apparent in his voice.

“But we have to follow basic human ethics. Playing with life and death? It’s not right.” Yuu’s rage did not falter. 

Neither did Kouyou’s.

“Why isn’t it? Who decided that? Isn’t that kind of thinking narrow-minded? It stops us from fully understanding anything. If we shut off one way of thinking, we also shut ourselves off from those possible answers. Those answers could be crucial to all our questions. Having those answers taken from us. Doesn’t that seem wrong?”

“Maybe so. But we still have to follow basic ethics so we don’t become savage monsters.”

“Are you saying I’m a monster?” Kouyou’s anger dissolved and a soothing emotionless tone left his lips. His gesturing stopped and his calmness returned. His eyes dried with no signs of the earlier tears. Even though he was calm now, the change from the attitude before made him seem erie in Yuu’s eyes. 

The raven felt a sting of sadness pierce his heart at the accusation. He would never consider the man he loves to be anything other than an angel.

“No. But Reita is. He’s morally wrong and shouldn’t exist. He should be enjoying his eternal rest.”

“What’s so enjoyable about rotting in the ground?”

Kouyou crossed his arms as he faced Yuu. The blue haired man’s question hung in the air unanswered. Exhaustion replaced Yuu’s earlier rage as his mind shifted from thoughts of Reita towards ones of Kouyou. Concern danced through his head. He was afraid of the changes that he saw in his lover.

“You’ve changed.” Yuu’s meek voice pierced the air. He had to blink away tears. The level-headed man that he loved showed that he can become a raging individual. 

“No I haven’t. I just finally feel alive again.” Kouyou closed the distance between the two and held the raven in an affectionate embrace. 

“I hope you can understand.” The blue haired man whispered into his lover’s ear before lightly kissing the top of Yuu’s head. 

Yuu leaned into Kouyou and took in the warmth the man offered. He loved the blue haired man, but gloom began to decay the love in his heart as he was afraid that his lover was changing. And he did not openly welcome this change.

Tilting his head up, the raven tenderly kissed Kouyou’s sweet lips

Yuu pried his lips from Kouyou’s to whisper.

“Time will tell.” 

With that the two ended their embrace and headed in opposite directions. Yuu went further into the facility as Kouyou walked towards the secluded smoking area. His exchange with Yuu did not worry him. Their conversation ended better than Kouyou expected. The raven was no longer angry and that’s all the slender scientist hoped for. He knew that sooner or later, Yuu would come around and accept the work that him and Takanori were achieving. 

Opening the door, the brightness of the outdoors temporarily blinded the blue haired man. Once his eyes adjusted he looked around the area. Empty. Reita and Takanori were gone. A lone breeze rustled the remaining leaves on the trees amplifying the emptiness of the garden. 

A dead leaf scraped along the stoned walkway catching Kouyou’s attention. Looking down, he watched as the shriveled leaf danced by a red droplet. Leaning down, the slender man got a closer look. Blood.

Suddenly, the absence of the other two began to worry Kouyou. With the history of anger that Reita has shown, Kouyou’s mind began to race with scenarios; all centered around Reita harming Takanori in some way. Afterall, he’s done it before. Chewing the inside of his cheek, Kouyou tried his best to not be a nervous wreck. The confrontation with Yuu must’ve triggered something in the creature causing him to lash out at Takanori.

The thoughts of Reita harming his fellow scientist produced an upsetting feeling to sit in Kouyou’s stomach. Nausea threatened the slender man and a light uncomfortable sweat clung to his scalp.

Fearing for his friend, Kouyou quickly paced through the smoking area scanning for any signs of what happened or where the two were. Dissatisfied with the lack of clue or answers, the slender man returned into the building.

He navigated his way through the maze of corridors and hallways. Roaming aimlessly, Kouyou was struggling on where to go. 

_ Where are they? _

The question repeated itself hundreds of times in his head. All the while, he struggled to find the answer. Internally cursing at himself, Kouyou knew the longer he took, the worse the situation could get. A fear of helplessness was beginning to set in.

Walking by an empty room, the blue haired man stopped. The door to the room was open and the inside was vacant. No lights were on. The only source of radiance came from the lone window opposite the door. The natural light gave vague silhouettes to the items occupying the the room. 

Kouyou’s eyes gravitated towards the window. Something clicked inside his head and he once again began to speed down the hallway. Seeing the window reminded him of the cracked one in Reita’s room. And that was as good as place as any to look for Reita and Takanori. Even if they weren’t there, it would hopefully provide some clue as to where they where.

The blue haired man made his way to Reita’s room hoping for something. Luckily for him, he didn’t have to go anywhere else. He heard faint voices as he stood in the hallway. When he opened the door, he was greeted by his two missing companions. Reita sat no the edge of his bed as Takanori leaned against the wall with a tissue held up to his nose. Both of them stared at the blue haired scientist as he slowly entered the room.

“Hey, Kouyou.” Reita spoke in a cheerful voice that Kouyou wasn’t expecting. Worried, he looked over towards Takanori.

“What happened?” Kouyou’s voice hid his worry, as he spoke flatly.

“Oh, I just got a nosebleed. The air outside is so dry that it probably dried out my nose as well.” Takanori removed the tissue from his nose as he talked. 

“Sorry that we left. We didn’t know where you were and Takanori didn’t want to stay outside.”

“Can you blame me?” Takanori waved his tissue back and forth.

The nervousness that was consuming Kouyou instantly vanished at Reita’s words.

“So what where you guys discussing?”  The slender scientist’s eyes looked between the two. 

At his question a huge nervous smile was displaying itself on Reita.  _ Curious.  _ Kouyou thought.

“I’ve got good news.” Takanori’s proud voice captured the attention of the other occupants of the room as he shoved the tissue into his coat pocket.

“Tomorrow we have a meeting to attend with Mr. Yukata. If it goes favorable, Reita will be able to leave this place.” Takanori dramatically gestured by motioning to the room surrounding them.

“Mr. Yukata?” Surprise crept into the blue haired man’s voice. Kouyou understood Reita’s nervousness now.

“Yes! Isn’t it great? We’ll finally be able to further our research!” Takanori’s excitement would have been infectious had the apprehensiveness not sat at the back of Kouyou’s mind.

_ Were they ready? Is it too soon? How would Reita handle meeting such a high ranking scientist? _ Questions bounced around the slender man’s head. He worried about Reita’s actions, but also Takanori’s eagerness. They’ve rushed things before.

“Aren’t you excited?” Takanori’s voice interrupted the worrying inside Kouyou.

Kouyou looked at the brunette scientist that stood in front of him. With the sparkle in his dark eye, how could Kouyou say no?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter!! Sorry it took a while. Had computer problems and life gets in the way some times lol I promise I will not let this fic die lol
> 
> But I really hope you guys like this. As always thanks for all the kudos, comments, and hits. I appreciate every one <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah new fic! Hope you guys enjoy this. Wanna give a shout out to Toguro for coming up with this story idea. Of course with Halloween coming up I'm in a spooky mood! Anyhoos, hope you enjoy this! More to come soon! Feedback appreciated <3 <3


End file.
